How to teach youngsters about anatomy

Parents need not have studied medicine, but they still know that their kids find human anatomy complicated as it is a memory-dependent subject that requires memorisation of difficult terminologies. However, if taught patiently and tactfully, anatomy can turn out to be an interesting subject for your youngsters. Here are a few effective strategies to get kids excited about learning anatomy. 

Start by answering the curious little minds 
Human anatomy is a mystery for children and their minds are full of questions about this subject. They have questions like this: Where does our food go? Where does blood come from?  Why do we blink? Kids are curious about how human bodies function and this curiosity only increases as they grow up. This is the time to start answering their questions as honestly as possible. Make sure your answers are easy to comprehend. 

Introduce kids to the organ system of human bodies  
Begin with a simple one, say skeletal system and then move on to difficult ones like the nervous system or the reproductive system. This will help kids understand things better. It is also important to explain how all the organ systems function in collaboration to ensure that the body runs efficiently. There are 11 organ systems in the human body. Depending on your child’s pick-up skill and grade, explain everything in an age-appropriate manner, ensuring that there is no information overload. 

Discuss about bodily functions  
Kids also need to be familiarised with various body functions. Once they learn to differentiate between different human organs, explain to them how they perform distinct yet significant functions. If your child is curious about how she recovered from fever, explain how the immune system works. Memorising names blindly without knowing their functioning and importance doesn’t really work. The key is to find teaching methods like graphical representation and interactive group sessions. 

Use human anatomy resources  
Teaching resources like human anatomy felt boards and human body models often come in handy during anatomy lessons. The former is a sensory tool, a chart-like thing, that has all the organ systems explained in detail with colourful images and pointers. This helps kids in figuring out the positions and structures. Similarly, plastic human body models are traditional substitutes to felt boards and give a realistic touch. Some even come with removable organs and detachable parts that make teaching and learning a lot of fun.